Automatic train-stop.



W. J. SOSEBNE. AUTOMATIQ TRAIN STOP. APPLICATION FILED MAY 1'7, 1909.

942, 1 89. I Patented Dec. 7, 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

CJ|1messes= Inventor w. J. sossmm." I AUTOMATIC TRAIN STOP. APPL IOATIOH FILED MAY17, 1909.

PatentedDec 7,1909. 2' VSHEETS-SHEET 2L 3 s 'IIIII/IIIIIIII/ Ifivntor W with 4 M #44; I I

Y ran s'r-ATEs PATENT err t WILLIAM. J. SOSEENE, OF EMEBYVILLE, CALIFORNIA.

AUTOMATIC TRAIN-STOP.

Specification of'Letters Patent. Patgntgd new, '3, min

Application filed May 17, 1909.. Serial No. 496,541.

matic Train-Stops, of which'the following is a specification. I

The invention relates to improvements in means for so controlling the o eration of the air brakes of a moving train t at the brakes will be automatically appliexi further progress of the train will be ar rested before the train comes within unsafe proximity track.

Brake operating means of the character to which this invention belongs include novel devices controlling the air'brakesystem'of a train, and means external to the train for throwing the devices on the train into operation, with the result that when a train enters upon or approaches a block or section of road already occupied by a train, the progress of the entering train is arrested.

. The obj ect of the invention is to prevent a train from passing out of one block or section of road and entering on another whenthe block ahead is already occupied by a train.

Another object of the invention is to automatically apply the air brakes on the train as it enters upon the block already in use, such application of the air being gradual, so that the train will not be brought to an abrupt'stop. a

The condition of the block or section of road is indicated by a semaphore vane on the signal, tower at the beginning of the block. The mechanism, employed. in this invention, acts in;conjunction with the semaphore and automatically applies thebrakes, independent of'the engineer, as the train passes a semaphore which is set to indicate that the block ahead is already occupied by a train.

The invention consists of novel means at tached to the semaphore tower and arranged the semaphore tower engages with the mech-' anism on the train only when, the semaphore is set to indicate a full block ahead and is and the to the train ahead using the same not operative when the block, being entered upon, is clear. 1

With these and other objects in, view, as will morefully appear hereinafter, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that various changes in the form,

proportion, size and minor details of the structure may be made without departing from the s irit or'sacrificing any of the advanta es 0 the invention.

-In t 'eaccompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a front view of a locomotive and a semaphoretower equipped with the apparatus of my inventiom'the semaphore being set to indicate that a train is in the block ahead.

Fig. 2 is a plan or top view of the semaphore tower and part of the locomotive, showing the means on the tower for throwing the brake operating mechanism into operation. Fig. 3 is an elevation, partly diagrainmatic,-of the brake operating means located on the train; the dotted lines indicat- 'ing the position of the parts during operationp Fig. 4 is a detail plan showing means forthrowlng the brake operating mechanism into operation. Fig. 5 is a detail view of the vertical shaft showing means for loosely attaching the worm gear thereto.

The sections, into which a line of road is divided forthe purpose of this invention, are the usual blocks employed in various signaling systems,in use at the present time and no change therein is necessary for the a plication of this invention. The semap ore tower A is. of standard construction, having a-vane B which,in a horizontal position, indicates a full block and, when depressed, indicates a clear track. An arm C pivoted to the semaphore tower at the proper height is connected to the semaphore vane by the'rod 2, so that the arm C moves in conjunction with the vane B, lyingv in a horizontal position when the vane is in that position. The arm C is counterbalanced so that little power is required to move it, and

semaphore vane B is also sufiicient for moving this arm C.

A curved plate or tripper E on the outer end ofthe arm C is engaged by a wheel 3 of the inechanism on the train, and therod .the power at present employed to move the 4 bearing the wheel 3 is forced inward as the wheel rides over the curved surface. The

tripper plate E is formed with flaring ends and is provided with guard strips 5, along the edges, to constrain the wheel 3 to the proper path. The. distance that the rods 4 on the train can project, is determined by the construction, the rods 4 are shown placed above the cab of the locomotive, but it is evident that they could be arran ed -within the cab, or in any other part 0 the train which would be more convenient.

The rod 4 bearing the wheel 3 is slidably mounted in the bearings 6 and moves inward as the wheel runs up on to the high part of the plate E. A lever 7, ivoted at the center, joins the endsof the re s 4 and 8, and causes an outward motion of the rod 8 for a correspondin .The end 0 the rod 8 is formed in a U-shaped member 9, which acts as a latch to hold the vertical shaft 12 suspended. A collar 13 on the shaft rests on the U-shaped members 9, and when either of these are withdrawn, the

shaft drops,thereby bringing the bevel friction gear 14 on the lower end thereof into contact with a similar gear 15 on one of the axles of the train which causes the shaft 12 to rotate. The latch members 9 are formed of the proper thickness to allow the gears 1415 to come in contact when either or". them are withdrawn. Y

A steam valve 16, located in the steam pipe between the boiler and the cylinders and normally open, is adapted to be immediately closed by the revolving shaft 12. A lever 17- on the valve 16 is connected to a pulley 18 on'the shaft 12 by the cord 20, which winds up on the pulley as the shaft revolves. The end of the cord 20, formed in a noose and placed over the end of the lever 17 will slip therefrom when the valve 16 is closed. 4 I

The parts of the brake controlling appliance, which are carried on each train, comprise a valve controlled outlet pipe or passage through which communication between the train-pipe of the air brake system on the train and the atmosphere is established or is cut ofi, according as the valve is opened or closed. This valve, bein independent of the engineers valve, throng which the brakes are controlled by the engineer in the usual stopping of the train under normal conditions, is located between the source'of compressed air supply on the engine and the connection of the train pipe therewith and is placed in'such position that it does not interfere withthe usual handling and controlling of the train brakes onthe part of inward movement of the rod 4.

the engineer through the regular hand open ated valve which is provided-in the engine cab. By relieving at the proper moment, or reducingthe pressure in the train pipe connection, the valve 22, on being operated sets the brakes throughout the train. But instead of being operated by hand, the same as the engineers' valve, the valve 22 is operated through the medium of the, rod 23, connectedto the se ental gear 24 which is actuated by theworm 25. The worm gear 25 is loosely fitted to the shaft 12, so that the latter can be displaced vertically without movin the worm, which is held in position in mes with the segmental gear 24-by the bearings 26--27. A key 31 on the shaft is loosely fitted to a key-way 39 in the worm, thus causingtheworm to rotate with the shaft. By fitting the worm loosely to the shaft and holding it in position by the bearings 26-27, it is prevented from ridin up on the segmental gear 24, which would lave the efiect of raising the shaft 12 and separating the gears 14-15.

The segmental gear 24 is preferably made semicircular in form and in the normal posi tioh engages the worm 25 at its center, so that it can turn a quarter revolution regardless of the direction in which the train is traveling. I

The valve 22 is ada ted to be operated by the movement of the ever 28 to either side of the normal osition. in the segmenta gear is provided so that the rod 23 can be attached thereto at any point and so cause various displacements of the lever 28 for .aquarter turn of the segment 24, according to various conditions of operation. The outer end 35 of the rod 23 is forked, forming two fingers which engage the spindle 30 of the 'tly-ball governor 32. The governor is arranged to be driven from the shaft 12 through the belt As the governor revolves the balls are displaced, raising the spindle 30 and the outer end of the rod 28.

The lever 28 on the air valve is slotted to receive the pin 34 in the rod 23' and, as the rod 23 is raised, the pin slides in the slot, thus increasing the acting lever arm of the lever 28, and thereby causing a smaller displacement thereof for a given movement of the segment 24. These means are therefore arranged to open the air valve slowly and so cause the brakes to be applied' gradually. The air valve is slightly opened when the segment has made a quarter turn and the outer end of the rod 23 is in the raised position. As thespeed of the train is reduced, the governor balls come closer to other, the'i 'eby lowering the rod 23 and urther opening the air valve which causes the brakes to be set more firmly.

For the purpose of resetting the segmental gear 24after the mechanism has operated,

A radial slot 29' lUO Y from the bearing and slipped back in the lot 37, until the segment 24; is out of mesh outer end of the rod 23 'andlthe segmental latch and-allowing the gears 14-15 to come ders; means for setting the mechanism out released by thetrip and adapted to be'op-.

.36 is clamped" in 'tion, thus opening the air valve slightly,

'theexact method shown forjacco'mplishing 'anisni connected with the running gear to ipe andcutolf the supplyof steam to the the shaft 36 is fitted i-n'the slot 37 of the. bearing 38. The shaft may be unclamped with-the. worm25. After the segment has been rotated to the proper position, :it is placed in mesh with theworm and the shaft fPOSllBlOIl. j

the mechanism is as fol v .The operation 0 lows: The wheel 3 on the rod 4 comes in 1415 iiito contact. Simultaneously,- the: steam is shut oil", the governor raises the gear turns slowly througha quarter revoluwhich applies the brakes. -As the s eed of the-train is reduced, the balls of t e governor, revolving in a path of less diameter, lower the end of the rod 23 and open the valve zwider, thereby applying the brakes more heavily. It is evident that othermeans could be employed for withdrawing the in contact, and I donot restrict myself to this result.

I claim, I 1. In an automatic train stop the combination with a trip on the roadway of mach-- shut ofi the'supply of steam'to the cylinof' contact with: the running gear and releasing means therefor operated by the trip.

2. In an automatic train stop the combination with atripon the roadway and an air brake system on 'the train of mechanism actuated by the movementof the train adapted to be putinto operation by the trip to gradually applythe brakes on the train.

3. Inan automatic train sto the combination with atri'p on the roa way and an air'brake system on thetrain, of mechanism loperativeby the movementofthe train and arranged to be thrown into operation by the trip to gradually open the valve in the air' cylinders. v

1 4. In an automatic train stop the combination with a'trip on the roadway and an, air brake system on the train of mechanism the train, thrown into operation by the trip to slightly open the air valve, and to vary the opening thereof inversely with the speed of the train.

" 6; In an automati'c'train sto the combi-- nation with .a trip on the roa way and an air brake system .on the train, of-mechanism arranged to'be' thrown into operation ,by the trip to out ofi? the supply of steam' to the cylinders, to slightly open the air brake valve and to increase the opening as the speed of the train is reduced.

--7. In an automatic train stop, the combination with-an air brake system on the train of a valve in the air pipe, a lever on said valve, an arm engaging the lever and arranged to slidethereon, one end of the arm being connected to a fiy-ball governor to impart a verticaldisplacement thereto,the

other-end being connected to a segmental gear toimpart a horizontal motion thereto, the gear and governorbeing operated from the axle ofthe train, and means external to -.the train for throwing said mechanism into operation.

8. In an automatic tram stop an air valve connected W-lilh the tram pipe, an arm to 'operate'the valve, means to move the arm a limited distance to slightly open the valve and apply the brakes, means to gradually open the valve farther as the speed of the train decreases, and means external to the train for'throwing said apparatus into operation.

9. An automatic train-stop comprising a shaft arranged to be rotated by an axle on the train, a worm gear on said shaft, a segmental gear in mesh therewith, means conthe segmentalgear with the valve meetin controlling the air brake system, a fly-ball governor connected with such means to vary the opening of the valve inversely as the speed of the train and means external to the train for throwing the mechanism into op eration.

, WILLIAM J. SOSEENE- Witnesses:

Sn). 8'. PALMER, G. Inosr. 

